Chapter 17 — Healing After Days of Neglect

“Dad, why did you come?”

“Come see me.”

“Do you understand, Dad?”

"Not understand."

“I don't understand why you didn't come back?”

“I don't understand, but watching you stand on stage... I feel happy.”

I sat down, held his hand, his hand was much rougher than in memory.

“Come on, I'll take dad out to eat.”

“Just eat noodles, a small restaurant is fine, no need for a fancy restaurant.”

Father and son went out of the hall, found a roadside noodle shop, a bowl of beef noodles cost 15 yuan, he ate very well, and I just sat and watched.

“Why don't you eat?”

“Watching dad eat makes me feel full.”

“Don't talk nonsense, eat.”

I bowed my head and took a bite. Outside the door is a bustling city. In the shop are father and son. A bowl of noodles, a table. Three more years passed.

"Huyen Hoa Bakery" opened three branches, Tieu Bao went to middle school, always at the top of the class, Lam Huyen remarried a gentle high school teacher, life was not rich but peaceful, she posted a family photo by the beach with the words: "Before, I thought life had to be brilliant, now I understand that peace is real", I quietly dropped a like.

My parents moved into the new house I bought for them in the countryside, three bedrooms and a living room with an elevator, dad raised fish on the balcony, mom went dancing in the square every morning, sometimes when I came to visit, dad would secretly stuff me an envelope, always a few thousand yuan inside.

“Dad, I'm not short of money.”

“Take it, Dad, save it.”

I accept it every time. Then silently send it to a separate account. Currently there are 230,000 yuan. It's all money my dad saved little by little. I haven't spent a dime yet. I plan to one day print the entire statement, frame it, and hang it in your office—so you know, there are things... whose value lies not in numbers, but in sentiment. Let him know that I appreciate every penny he gives me, not because of the value of money, but because it is from his heart. On the wedding day, I wore a white wedding dress, Phuong Vien was the bridesmaid and cried even harder than the bride, and my father held my hand as I walked down the red carpet, his hand shaking as if he was holding the most precious thing in his life. Halfway there, he suddenly stopped.

“Van Van… let dad look at you a little more.”

I looked at him, his hair on both sides was white.

“Dad, don't cry.”

“Don't cry, dust will get in your eyes.”

“Where does the dust come from in the house?”

“You ask so many questions, let's move on.”

He put my hand in Co Tham's hand.

“Dad just said one sentence.”

“Please tell me.”

"She's suffered enough, the rest of her life... you have to bear it."

“I carry the burden.”

“What if you can't handle it?”

"There's nothing I can't handle."

Dad looked at him for three seconds, then nodded.

“Okay, from now on you are my son.”

The whole hall burst into laughter. I also laughed. Co Tham's hand clasped mine, still as warm as the first time in the elevator, dry and steady. After the wedding, at the dinner party, Phuong Vien got drunk and pulled me aside to talk for a long time.

“Lam Van, do you know what I admire you the most?”

“You won 79,800,000 yuan without being blinded by money, being treated poorly for twenty years without being consumed by hatred, building a top company from scratch, meeting the right people… and not missing out.”

“What is there to admire?”

"Because most people can't do it. If they win money, they fly away. If they get hurt, they resent it for the rest of their lives. If they fail when they start a business, they give up. When they meet the right person, they hesitate... but you don't."

“It's probably because of me lucky."

“It's not luck, it's that you've never abandoned yourself.”

After saying that, she collapsed and fell asleep. I pulled my coat over her. Probably yes. But I believe more in one thing. Only by becoming the light ourselves can we illuminate the dark corners that once existed. The forgotten days, the efforts no one saw, the nights carrying it all alone... It was all worth it. Outside the window, the city is brightly lit. I stood there, behind the noisy laughter of the party. Co Tham walked over and hugged me from behind.

“What are you thinking?”

“Thinking about the days of eating dry cakes in the motel room.”

“Thinking for what?”

“To tell you something.”

“Thank you for appearing on the twenty-third floor.”

"Nothing." He rested his chin on my shoulder, his voice warm. “You should also thank yourself, for being brave enough to enter the twenty-third floor.”

I laughed. He also laughed. In the distance, fireworks exploded. I don't know whose house is having fun. It could be us. It could also be… anyone in this city, living a good life.